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Press Release – PlanB take rare spot at 2012 Chinese Music Festival

80’s Adelaide pub rock band fronted by Hope Valley resident to be one of only four non- Chinese bands invited to play at China’s 4th Annual InMusic Festival in Zhangbei, China.

Adelaide, South Australia, July 10, 2012: Persistence pays off for PlanB, a Rock’n’Soul band popular around Adelaide pubs in the early 80’s, as manager Peter Flierl has secured a much coveted spot at the 2012 InMusic Festival to be held in the grasslands of Zhangbei province, China. Having already planned a tour of China for much of July and August, a chance to participate in the burgeoning Chinese music festival scene proved too good an opportunity to pass up for Flierl. Incessant virtual networking, many phone calls and email conversations finally brought the band to the notice of the festival organisers, and they have now gained a 45 minute set on July 28, the second day of what is regarded as China’s equivalent to Woodstock.

The music festival scene in China has been growing and maturing over the last half decade, and the InMusic Magazine sponsored Grasslands festival is evolving into one of the country’s mainstays alongside the MIDI, Strawberry and Beijing Pop Festivals. “Having the opportunity to play to tens of thousands of potential fans is a massive opportunity”, says Brett Monten, lead singer. “What makes it even more special is that only four non-Chinese bands have been invited to this event. We can’t wait to give them a taste of some good old Aussie pub Rock’n’Soul”. “Rock’n’Soul” is the genre PlanB coined to describe their sound – “Think a combination of Hunters & Collectors, Blues Brothers and Dexy’s Midnight Runners and you’re on the right track”, explains Monten.

PlanB was created in 1982 when Flierl (Bass Guitar, Manager) Russel Burton (alto sax) and the late Heinz Stein (Drums) split from Del Webb Explosion, an Adelaide based indie pop band as a result of diverging artistic direction between members. The name suited the sense of starting again for Flierl, Burton and Stein, and was doubly suitable being the name of a popular Dexy’s Midnight Runners song (a major influence on Flierl and Stein). PlanB members parted ways in the mid-80’s when just on the verge of commercial success and subsequently re-formed in 2009 with a mix of original and new members. Since then they have toured South East Asia twice and are testing the potentially huge Chinese market with the current tour. The band hasn’t been playing the Adelaide scene as half of the core members have been working overseas and interstate. This will change soon as Flierl will be returning to Adelaide after the tour and will pull together an outfit to gig locally again.